Post-driver.



H. C. UPCHURCH & T. H. HOUSTON.

POST DRIVER.

. APPLICATION FILED sEPT.27,191e.

Patented June 19, 1917.

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c of vMissouri, and Salem, in the county of- TED STATES PATENT orrion.

HORACE-1C; urcnuncn, on STEELVTLLE, 'AND THOMAS H. HOUSTON, orsALEM,

-- 4 MISSOURI. V

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To all whom, it may concern Be it known that we, HORACE C. UP- CHURCH and THOMAS H. HOUSTON, citizens of the United States, and residents of Steelville, in the county of Crawford and State Dent and State of Missouri, respectively, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Post-Drivers, of which the following is a specification. i

This invention is an improvement in pile drivers and has particular reference to an apparatus for erecting fence posts.

An object of the invention isto facilitate the erection of the posts in a vertical posi tion when a fence is being constructed on a hill-sideor other uneven ground, and to this: end, there is provided a portable pl'atform.

bearing standards, which are adjustable relativethereto in a novel manner so that when "such platform is in other than a horizontal position said standards may be adjusted to a vertical position whereby a post may be properly anchored.

, Anotherobject is the provision of an apparatus ofthis character, which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture, and eifective in carrying out'the purpose for' which it is designed.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which for the purpose of illustrating the invention is shown in the faccompanying drawings, wherein';

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; a

Fig. 3 is an end elevation;

There is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, what is nowibelieved to be a preferred form of'the invention, consisting of a wheeled frame 10 having mounted thereon a platform 11 having the sides 12, extending both above and below the same. At one end of the platform 11 the same has'mounted Patented June 19, 1917.

I Application filed September 27,1916, Serial No. 122,493.

*thereon, a pair of oppositely disposed bearing blocks 13 having complemental recesses 14 formed therein to provide a space for the receptlon of a gear-wheel 15, mounted upon .a shaft 16, extending transversely through porting yoke member 20. This yoke member is capable of both longitudinal and axial movement relative to the platform 11, and

for this purpose the shank is made circular in cross section and provided upon its upper surface with-therackteeth 21 which engage the gear wheel 15, so that when the handle 171s operated said yoke member 20 will be moved back and forth.

In the'ends' of the yoke member 20 there is pivoted a standard 22 intermediate the ends thereof, said standards being connected at their lower ends by means of the bracket 23 and having on their inner or oppositely disposed faces the longitudinal groove24'for receiving therein the diametrically'disposed flanges 25 of the weight 26,

which is moved longitudinally of said standard for the purpose of driving the posts or are also connectedby a cross piece 26 and to each end of Said cross piece, there is connected one endof a supporting rod 27, the other end of which is connected to one end of a transverse adjustable element 28 supported upon the top of the sides 12 of the platform 11. Adjacent each end of the element 28 the same is provided with a longitudinal slot 29 through which passes 'a J-bolt 30,'the lower endof which is adapted to engage the bottom edge of-the adjacent side 12, while the upper end-thereof is screwthreaded and provided with a fastening'nut 31, so that the transverse element may be securely fastened in an adjusted position. It will thus be seen that'this element 28 is adjustable longitudinally of the'platform 11 or may be swung to a diagona'l position relative to the longitudinal axis of said platform, and it will therefore be apparent that should the platform,'when driving a post,

be in the'position, as shown in Fig. 1, this element 28 may be adjusted longitudinally of the platform in order to swing the upper ends of the standards 22 so that thesame may assume a vertical position. It will also be understood that this adjustment, just described, may be accomplished by adjusting the yoke member longitudinally, as-previo'u'sly described, in order that the stand ards may be made toassume a vertical position. Now should the platform be in a po sition as shown inFig, 3, where one lon- -gitudinal edge will be lower than the other,

itwill be desirable to still maintain the yoke member-20 int-a horizontal plane,and for this purpose, the element 28 may be ad- "justed toa diagonal position relative to the longitudinal axis of the platform 11 so that I pull,-and push will be-exerted upon the rods 27 inorderto cause the standards and consequently the yoke member 20 to rotate about the shank19 thereof, as an axis, and

in this manner thestandards 22 may be made to assume a vertical position. 7

Means for operating the weight 26 are provided in connection with the invention and include a frame-32, mounted upon the operatingcrank 35. by this shaft: andlias vwound thereon. the flexible element 3T in the form of a rope. A clutch lever 38 .is pivotedto the frame 32 and also has a connection with a part of the drum so that the clutch 34 may be fendof: the platform, 11 opposite the hearing blocks l3,and journaled in the frame there is a shaft 33, having a clutch 34 and A drum 36 is carried operated to connect and disconnect from the driving part of the said shaft. The flexible element 37 passes beneath a pulley 39,

1 mounted upon the top of the bearing blocks -l3from whencesaid element 37 passes over a large pulley 40, journaled between the .standards 22-and adjacent the top thereof. The extremity of the flexible element 37 is secured tothe weight 26 so that when the handle 35 isrotated'in one direction said wveight willbe lifted, and when the clutch is thrown out, the weight will descend with sufficient force upon the upper end of the post to drive the same into the ground. -lVhat isclai1ned-is: j j

1. In an apparatus of the'class described,

the combination of a. platform, an element carried thereby and having longitudinal and axial adjustment relative thereto, standards pivotally connected to said-element and adj ustable therewith, means adjustable longitudinally of said platform and connected to said standards for also adjusting the same whereby to secure a vertical position thereof, and means for operating the weight between said standards for driving a post.

aids for driving a" post.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of 'a platform, an element carried thereby and having longitudinal and axial adjustment relative thereto, standards pivotally connected to'said element and adjustable therewith, means adjustable longitudinally of and in a diagonal position relative to said platform and connected to said standards for also adjusting the same whereby to secure a vertical position1thereof,,and

means for operating a weight between said standards for driving a post.

3. In an apparatus of the class, described,

the combination of. a platform, a yoke Lmembercarried thereby and having longitudinal and axialmovement relative thereto, standardspivotedbetween the extremities of said yoke member and adjustable therewith, meansv adjustable relative to, said platform and connected'uto said standardsfolf also adjusting the same whereby to secure a vertical position thereof, and ineans'for operating the weight .betweensaid standards for driv- 'ing a post. Y

l. In an appa'ratu'sof the'classdescribed, the combination of a platform, bearing blocks supported at one end thereof, a yoke member having a shank mounted between said bearing blocksv and provided with rack teeth, a gear also mounted 3 between said blocks and engaging said rack teeth forad justing said yoke member longitudinally of said platform, standards pivotally connected to 'saidyoke 'member and adjustable therewith, means adjustable relative t'o'the platform and connected 'to said standards .foralso adjusting the-same whereby to securea vertical position thereof, and means for operating a weight between said stand- 5. In an'app'ar'atus of the'class described, the. combinatlon of a platform, bearing blocks supported at one end tlier eof a yoke bolts extending through said slots and en gaging said platform for securing the transverse member-m its ad usted position, con- .ne'ct'ions between said transverse member andsaid standards for ad ust ng: the latter when .said transverse member is adjusted,

and means for operating 'iv'eight'between said. standards for driving'a post.

In an apparatus of" the classdescribed,

the combination of a platform, awoke memher mounted on the platform and having for operating a Weight between the standlongitudinal and axial adjustment relaards for driving a post.

tively thereto, standards pivotally mounted HORACE O. UPOHUROH. on the yoke and adjustable therewith, means THOlVIAS H. HOUSTON. connected With the standards and adjustable In the presence of relatively to the platform for adjusting the E. D. COOPER,

standards relatively to the yoke, and means ARKL'ESS HUMPHREY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

